


The Pieces

by deliciouspineapple



Category: Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-12-16 18:04:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11834124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deliciouspineapple/pseuds/deliciouspineapple
Summary: A short one-off about Robert and how he has managed to keep the small pieces of his daughter he's found.





	The Pieces

Robert Small keeping the small pieces.

The only good photo he has of Val was her 8th grade graduation. Braces still on and her hair in one massive braid because that was the style.

He kept the invitation too. It’s framed on a shelf by the record player.

He has a picture of her from Yearbook Club. He had to cut it out of the one she left behind. She’s similing with her arms around two friends whose names he’s long forgotten.

The university automatically sends graduation invites. He missed the call but listened to the message where Val told him not to even bother. So he kept the invite instead. It’s in the frame next to the 8th grade one. (A tiny reminder of his fuck up that he can use to berate himself with daily.)

They also sent her graduation photo. A watermark with the word SAMPLE sticks in diagonals across her. He kept it. The small one is in a pocket of his wallet. The large is framed next to the TV.

He’s read every article she’s had a hand in. Even if she is just in a credit. He has pictures from the company’s website with her in them. He printed them and framed those too.

His favorite articles sit in a neat pile on the desk next to his computer. Sometimes he rereads them. He’s so proud of her but reconciled that he would never have the chance to tell her. So from the sidelines he silently cheers and watches her succeed in everything she wants.

That’s all he ever wanted.

When Val visits for the first time she finds her staff photo from the company website printed and in a frame. She taps the glass and pins Robert in a corner of the empty space of his living room.

“Why do you have this?” She demands.

Robert can’t answer. How does he tell her that he reconstructed her from tiny pieces and breadcrumbs he could find? How pathetic is he that his only parts of his daughter he has are either old or stolen? He doesn’t know how to read her expression and he is sure she hates him more now. He can’t breathe as she holds his gaze like a matador eyeing the bull. His hands grip his shirt too tight.

“I’m sorry.” He croaks out because it’s the only set of words that win the fight in his head.

And he is. Because he has nothing of his daughter and here she was staring at the haphazard shrines he made of her to refer to when he had nothing else and knew she wouldn’t answer even if he called.

But when he expects a slap accented by black nails he feels Val embrace him instead. His breath staggers and he realizes his face is wet.

“Stupid,” Val whispers as she hugs him.

“Yeah.” Robert manages as his voice cracks.

His arms wrap around her back and he can finally hug her. He doesn’t know who is crying more but he’s sure he won the Pathetic Sap Award for the year. 

She lets go and he’s quick to follow. Like the phone calls telling him she doesn’t want him at her graduation even though she was Manga Cum Lade. (He knows what that means and wishes he had bragged more about it in the past, but that would have been the only detail he knew.)

The next thing he knows Val has her phone out and she is leaned agaisnt him.

“Smile.” She orders.

It takes Robert a minute but he manages.

The next day he has a new picture. Her and him. Red eyed and smiling. It sits front and center on the side table.

A full piece.


End file.
